Rise of the Bandit Prince
by Darkfire2466
Summary: Same thing as Rise of Tigers, same character, quite a few plot changes. More adorable tiger faunus cub. And Raven showing her emotions. Also, for all of you who expect Yang to go straight to doting older sister...uh...sorry but no.


I only own my OC.

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Sorrel Khan was practically bouncing as he waited for his mother to finish with her meeting so he could show her what he'd made, a drawing of him with the rest of his family. From what he could tell however, he'd been asked to stay in his mother, Sienna Khan's, room. As most children his age were, very impatient, instead opting to go and find his mother for himself. With a quiet flick of his ears, Sorrel slunk down the hallway, managing to avoid the guards from his usually unknown nightly escapades in his constant search for cookies.

When he finally got to his mother's usual workplace, his ears swivelled wildly as he got closer, peeking his head around the door, almost completely unnoticed until his mother stood, as if to shoo him away.

What he saw next completely traumatized the boy, but he did just barely manage to catch his mother's last words.

"Run away."

She'd managed to gasp, Sorrel's ears flicked deftly as he turned and bolted. He didn't quite know where he was supposed to go, but he did know his mother wouldn't lie to him. Running as fast as his legs could carry him, Sorrel almost didn't realize what had happened when he ran headlong into someone's leg.

"I already know cub."

Said a soothing voice, he immediately recognized the new person and he let himself cry. Ears pressing close to the top of his head.

"Mama, is Mommy gonna be okay?"

He asked as the woman he'd run into, his second mother, scooped him into his arms.

"I….Mommy is in a better place now cub. Come on."

She soothed, reaching her free hand to stroke Sorrel's soft and feathery black hair, just between his ears. Sorrel whimpered, crying into her shoulder. Raven couldn't afford to stop and cry, ducking back into one of her portals. She reappeared in the safety of her own tent, cradling her son in her arms.

"Raven? What hap-...Sorrel sweetheart?"

Vernal asked. All she knew was that Sorrel had started to suddenly pull on his bond to Raven, and the woman had gone to see what he wanted.

"Adam Taurus. He killed Sienna. So, now, Sorrel is staying with us. Isn't that right dear?"

Raven asked, looking down at her son. Sorrel nodded a little, nuzzling against Raven.

"Alright. You know what Sorrel, I think the cooks managed to scrounge up supplies to make cookies? Maybe we can go try them? Would that make you feel better?"

Sorrel just shook his head and yawned. Raven glanced outside and sighed.

"He's had a...busy day. And I'm feeling a little drained too. She's getting closer and I wasn't anticipating having Sorrel with me when she arrives."

Raven decided, Vernal having to read between the lines to figure out that Raven was turning in for the night, probably to stay next to Sorrel.

"You're right. I'll figure out where to hide him when she comes. For now though, I think we're going to sleep."

Raven smiled, headed straight for her bed with Sorrel in her arms and Vernal behind her. She'd barely even stopped to put Sorrel in his pajamas as she settled him down on top of her.

"Mama?"

Sorrel asked, nuzzling into her as she lay on her back. Raven smiled at him.

"Yeah?"

She asked, Vernal already asleep on her shoulder. Sorrel just smiled into her.

"I love you Mama."

Sorrel mumbled, his ears flicking gently when Raven reached up to gently stroke his velvety soft tiger ears.

"I love you too little prince."

Raven murmured, taking the few moments of peace to think through everything she'd done. She wasn't proud of a lot of it, but Sorrel was one of the few things she didn't regret. He looked like a perfect hybrid of his mothers. Something Raven realized rather suddenly that she owed her younger twin brother for.

Sorrel had yet to fully grow into his looks Raven knew, but she could tell enough of what he would eventually look like. He had very lightly tanned skin, already untameable jet black hair, Sienna's golden eyes that still turned crimson red when he was angry or upset. Though she had noticed that was very rare, Sorrel having also seemingly inherited her brother's easygoing nature.

"I love you too."

Raven repeated, finally drifting off to sleep, barely even realizing that Sorrel had cuddled just that little bit closer to her warmth.

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Within the course of the next few months, everything went downhill for Sorrel and Raven. Vernal had died at the hands of Cinder Fall, and now Raven was the only one left to care for Sorrel. Namely because she'd realized her brother had been blackout drunk when he'd agreed and gone through with helping her. So he didn't even realize Yang _wasn't_ her only child.

"Come on sweetheart."

Raven called, keeping a steady pace as she wandered through the forest around Patch. Her gaze focused intently on Sorrel, who was racing back and forth in front of her.

"Coming Mama!"

He called, darting back to her side. While he was still upset about his mothers being dead, Sorrel still enjoyed being outside. Especially when Raven described their constantly being on the move as an extended camping trip.

"Stay close to me dear. There are grimm here."

Raven warned, her free hand on his shoulder. Raven had taken some precautions to keep herself from being readily identified, a gray hooded cloak that she kept up to hide her noticeable mane of black hair with a similar cloak to hide Sorrel's tiger ears. She'd even taken to speaking as little as possible and keeping her head down to make sure her hair hid her brilliant red eyes.

She had no lien, and was deeply considering turning to begging to at least get something in Sorrel's stomach if nothing else. It was her racing thoughts she supposed, that let someone begin to approach her from behind.

"Miss? It's dangerous out here! You shouldn't be here with no weapon!"

Raven almost cursed at the voice that she immediately identified as her ex-husband. Pulling her hood up a bit more, she dipped her head. In a desperate attempt to keep any followers from joining her, she'd chucked her trusted weapon. It was too large to hide and too noticeable, even from a distance. She was relying fully on her abilities as the Spring Maiden, and a single hunting knife she kept on her for emergencies.

"Sorrel, come here. We need to go. NOW."

Raven hissed, her voice low enough that she knew Tai wouldn't hear her, scooping Sorrel quickly into her arms before she took off at a dead sprint. Keeping both of their heads tucked and Sorrel's face hidden against her. She may have been getting older, but desperation and adrenaline gave her a boost of speed that let her get a fair bit ahead of Tai. Even wearing heels and cradling a small boy in her arms she was able to jump over a few fallen trees, moving back and forth on what she quickly realized was her old training route from when she'd lived on Patch.

"I really am a habitual person aren't I?"

Raven thought, veering off course significantly to try and keep Tai away from her. Especially since he'd run the path with her a few times.

"Mama I'm scared."

Sorrel whispered, tucking her chest.

"I know. I know. We're gonna be alright."

Raven promised, vaulting herself off a tree to try and stay away. She wasn't sure how Tai would react to Sorrel, and after seeing Sienna die, Sorrel had been much more timid. Particularly towards new people.

Raven almost fell backwards when Tai suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Gotcha! Now….hold up is that a kid? It's really not safe to be out here with no protection!"

Tai asked, surprised when Raven reeled backwards. Brilliant red eyes looking up at him in pure terror as she tried to keep distance between them. She was sure he hadn't recognized her. After 17 years her hair had started to grey, not to mention her hood was still up, and he definitely wouldn't recognize her with a small child. Sorrel whimpered, hiding his face in her shoulder.

"Sorrel sweetheart, you wanna see snow for the first time?"

Raven asked, backtracking over the logs and glancing over her shoulder just in time to see that she'd lost Tai. Opening a portal that she hoped wouldn't be spotted by Yang and diving through.


End file.
